Leading Menopause Expert Advocates for Individualized, Lifelong Hormone Therapy
Amsterdam, netherlands – A leading menopause expert is challenging conventional timelines for hormone therapy, advocating for a shift towards individualized treatment plans that allow women to continue therapy as long as it improves their quality of life and poses no medical risks. the expert’s views,recently shared in an interview with Happy in Shape magazine,offer a potentially transformative viewpoint for women navigating perimenopause and menopause,particularly in countries like the Netherlands where fixed end dates for hormone therapy are common.
The conversation comes as awareness of menopause and its wide-ranging effects grows, impacting millions of women globally. Many experience debilitating symptoms like fatigue, hot flashes, depression, and insomnia, while others notice minimal disruption. Current guidelines often dictate a predetermined stopping point for hormone therapy, a practice the expert argues creates unnecessary anxiety and fails to address the diverse experiences of women. “A fixed end date is not helpful,” she stated. “It would make much more sense to regularly evaluate: how are you feeling? Do you still benefit from the therapy? Have new risks emerged?”
the expert highlighted a growing trend in the United States of assessing each woman’s individual situation, allowing continued hormone therapy provided that it’s beneficial and safe. This approach, she believes, offers women “peace” by focusing on quality of life rather than an arbitrary deadline. She specifically pointed to the safety of long-term use of transdermal hormone therapy – delivered through the skin - emphasizing the importance of regular health checks. “There is no reason to stop a priori if things are going well,” she said, particularly for women whose symptoms return upon cessation or who are at risk of diseases where estrogen offers protection.
For women currently struggling with perimenopause and menopause, the expert offered reassurance and validation.”you’re not imagining it. You’re not going crazy.You’re not weak either,” she emphasized. “You are in the middle of a physical process that has a profound effect and can turn your life completely upside down. But there is help and lots of details. You have the right to a doctor who listens to you and thinks along with you.” She stressed that women don’t have to suffer alone and that regaining a sense of self is “really possible.”
The interview appeared in the September 26th issue of Happy in Shape magazine.
